Extensible buffet



2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1956 iii IIII I M CV A. MARINQ EXTENSIBLE BUFFET A r-i130, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19,. 1956 r' I A 2,790.,6 9 Patented p 1957 EXTENSIBLE BUFFET Antonino Marino, Belmont, Mass.

Application March 19, 1956, Serial No. 572,297

5 Claims. (Cl. 312-'317) This invention relates to a buffet or cabinet which is so constructed as to provide a table in which additional leaves may be interposed to'provide an extension table.

So far as I am aware, buffets have never heretofore been constructed for extension in both directions to provide a practical table in its extended position as well as the appearance of a buffet in its retracted position. Thus the structure of my invention is adapted for use in any one of a variety of positions including a folded position having the appearance of a conventional buffet, and an extended position providing a double leaf flat top table with one or more interposed leaves. The mechanical features of my construction permit incorporation of bracing and reinforcement adequate to insure a sturdy structure in all positions, including extended position, yet which do not detract from the appearance of the structure particularly in retracted position.

My buffet table is designed to meet the customers demand for a buffet or side cabinet of conventional appearance which on occasions may be used as a table of sufliciently large size for dining or other purposes. lts advantages will be plainly apparent from the description given herein, when taken together with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the buffet table in retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the buffet table in retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 of the buffet table in retracted position, showing the storage provided for extra leaves;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the buffet table in retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a plan, partially broken away, of the buffet table in retracted position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the buffet table in extended position;

Fig. 7 is a plan, partially broken away, of the buffet table in extended position;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an extra leaf structure; and

Fig. 9 is a partial view of the slide extension structure employed with the buffet table of Figs. 1 through 7.

As will be readily understood from the drawings, my buffet table is adapted for use primarily in two positions, the retracted position illustrated by Figs. 1 through 5, wherein cabinet base 10 supports one leaf 12 positioned directly over said base, another leaf 14 being folded over into a position on top of and substantially co-extensive with said leaf 12 to provide a buffet of conventional appearance; and the extended position illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the leaf 12 has been moved to its extended position forwardly beyond base 10, and leaves 12 and 14 have been separated, and additional leaves 16 inserted therebetween to provide a table.

To describe the construction in detail, the base 10 is of generally conventional appearance with side shelves and central doors and has slidably mounted thereon, by

means hereinafter more fully described, a front leaf 12, said leaf being arranged for movement as shown in Figs. 1 through 5 directly overlying said base to an extended position, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, with its front portion forward beyond the front of the base 10 to provide knee room for a person seated at the base end of the table. The rear leaf 14 is hingedly secured to the upper and forward portion 30a of a collapsible frame 30, supported by legs 32 and 34 at its rear and sides, and is adapted for movement about a horizontal axis, as described in my Patent No. 2,152,703. The legs 32 and 34 are preferably rigidly connected to the rear of frame 30 to provide a generally inverted U-shaped structure fitting within the rear portion of the cabinet base 10 (Fig. 4) so that said legs and frame are entirely concealed within, enabling the buffet table to be positioned against a room wall and appear to be a conventional buffet, the extra leaves 16 being stored in the rear portion of the base 10 (Fig. 3) by folding them midway of their length (Fig. 8).

The table thus comprises essentially three separate sections, one comprising base 10, a second the forward leaf 12, and the third section comprising rear leaf 14 and the pair of legs on frame 30. These three sections are connected together by a common slide extension arrangement 40 (Fig. 9) shown in extended position in Fig. 6, and in retracted position in Fig. 5. The end members 42 at the forward end of this slide extension device 40 are fixedly secured to the underside of leaf 12, the end members 44 at the rear of the slide extension device 40 are secured to the inner side of the frame 30 at legs 32 and 34, and a pair of slide extension members 46 intermediate said end members 42 and 44 are secured to the top surface of base 10. The end members are so positioned relative to leaf 12, that, in retracted position of the slides, the inner edges of leaves 12 and 14 will abut, the upper and forward portion 30a of frame 30 being connected to a pair of slide extension members 48 forwardly of rear end members 44 so that legs 32 and 34 and rear extension end members 44 will support rear leaf 14 near its rear edge when extended. Thus, to permit separation of the two table sections from one another, leaf 14 is hinged as shown, not to leaf 12, but to the forward portion 30a of frame 30, as shown and described in my said patent, the hinges being of such construction that when the back leaf 14 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 through 5, it is spaced above the top surface of frame 30 a distance suflicient to permit leaf 12 to be interposed therebetween. The rear edge of the table leaves provide a flush surface, with the exception of the protruding hinge portions.

From the position shown in Figs. 1 through 5, it is obvious that the two table sections may be separated from one another with the forward table extension moved forwardly with respect to base 10 and the rear table section with its extensible supporting frame 33 carrying legs 32 and 34 moved rearwardly with respect to said base, finally reaching, if desired, the position shown in Fig. 7. Separate leaves 16 (Fig. 8) may then be interposed on the extension slides 40 to provide a suitably large table.

Various modifications of my novel buffet table within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in this art.

I claim:

1. A buffet table of the type described, comprising three independent sections, one of said sections including a cabinet base, a second of said sections including a table leaf supported thereon for sliding movement from a retracted position overlying said base to an extended position with its front edge extending beyond said base, the third of said sections including a supporting frame and a table leaf hinged to said frame for movement about a horizontal axis from a position folded on top of said base 3. supported leaf in its retracted position 180 to a position abutting and in the plane of the base supported leaf, and extensible slide means connecting said sections, whereby said table leaf sections may bemoved to relatively remote positions topermitinterposition of an additional leaf intermediate said leaves.

2. A buffet table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame includes atleast one leg extending downwardly therefrom,

3. A buffet table as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said frame is of generally inverted U-shaped configuration fitting within the rear portion of said cabinet base in its retracted position.

4. A buffet table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said table leaf sections are connected to oppositeends of said extensible slidemeans and said base section is connected thereto intermediate the ends thereof.

5. A buffet tableof the type described comprising three independent sections, one ofsaid sections including a cabinet base, a second of said sections including a front table leaf supported thereon for sliding movement on a horizontal plane from a retracted position directly overlying said base to an extended position with its front portion extending forwardly beyond said base, and a third of said sections including a collapsible frame fitting within the rear portion of said cabinet basein collapsed position and having a pair of downwardly extending legs ,4 at its rear portion, and a rear table leaf hinged to a forward portion of said frame for movement about a horizontal axis from a position folded over and substantially co-extensive with said base supported leaf in its retracted position directly overlying said base 180 to a position abutting and in the plane of said base supported leaf, and means extensibly connecting said sections together including a series of expansible slides, said front References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,129,800 Harris Feb. 23, l9l5 2,535,646 Medwin Dec. 26, 1950 2,597,277 Anderson May 20, 1952 i i l i 

